When I first “cracked the code” on stabilizing and reversing prolapse, and wrote and published Saving the Whole Woman, I set up this forum. While I had finally gotten my own severe uterine prolapse under control with the knowledge I had gained, I didn’t actually know if I could teach other women to do for themselves what I had done for my condition.
So I just started teaching women on this forum. Within weeks, the women started writing back, “It’s working! I can feel the difference!”
From that moment on, the forum became the hub of the Whole Woman Community. Unfortunately, spammers also discovered the forum, along with the thousands of women we had been helping. The level of spamming became so intolerable and time-consuming, we regretfully took the forum down.
Technology never sleeps, however, and we have better tools today for controlling spam than we did just a few years ago. So I am very excited and pleased to bring the forum back online.
If you are already a registered user you may now log in and post. If you have lost your password, just click the request new password tab and follow the directions.
Please review and agree to the disclaimer and the forum rules. Our moderators will remove any posts that are promotional or otherwise fail to meet our guidelines and will block repeat offenders.
Remember, the forum is here for two reasons. First, to get your questions answered by other women who have knowledge and experience to share. Second, it is the place to share your results and successes. Your stories will help other women learn that Whole Woman is what they need.
Whether you’re an old friend or a new acquaintance, welcome! The Whole Woman forum is a place where you can make a difference in your own life and the lives of thousands of women around the world!
Best wishes,
Christine Kent
Founder
Whole Woman
granolamom
September 12, 2008 - 2:57pm
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congrats alemama!
sorry you're feeling so fatigued, I'm sure the heat isn't helping any. hopefully, with the weather changing and getting past the first trimester, your energy will return somewhat.
I also found myself resorting to the pizza-diet in the beginning and I'm sure that's what aggravated my rectocele. good news is that after the m/s passed I was back to eating normally and recto went back to baseline.
I'd say not to worry too much about the weight thing. I always am determined not to gain too much (I watch what I eat and exercise throughout the pg's) but always gain between 45-55 anyway. it comes off afterwards. just do what your body seems to need and I'm sure you'll be fine.
enjoy your pg, it goes so fast. and I'm thinking pink for you!
Clonmacnoise
September 12, 2008 - 5:02pm
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#4 is a ticket to heaven
Congratulations Alemama!
My fourth was just like yours. I was way big very fast. I thought Anne was twins, and she ended up being my smallest baby at 7.5 pounds.
I think I lived on Dr. Pepper because I couldn't keep anything else down. I drank one DP and nursed it through the day. I gained 20 pounds max.
Have you tried the sports tampons? They seem to be able to be left in longer.
Judy
Christine
September 13, 2008 - 10:35am
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springtime baby
Hi Alemama,
Congratulations…what a joyful household! Hoping your energy returns soon. I remember the yuckies so well…can’t imagine why they call it ‘morning sickness’, btw! With both my pregnancies I was nauseated all day everyday for three months…then it magically disappeared.
Lots of love and hope for a comfortable pregnancy and blessed birth!
Christine
kiki
September 16, 2008 - 2:09pm
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huge congrats!
so exciting alemama! huge congrats!!!
you are amazing for even contemplating all those different things, so do be kind to yourself and recognise what you are doing! I think parenting whilst pregnant is exhausting, nursing can be tiring, nursing and being pregnant and parenting and doing anything else--wow!!! curious george is fab--enjoy ;-)
re getting big--with number 2 i got huge quickly and put on a ton of weight at the beginning. i thought i'd gain a ton throughout (gained around 25 first preg), but then it slowed way down--and in the end, i only gained about 20lb despite eating tons. so you never know what the body will do.
i'm sure everything will get lighter soon...keep us posted!
kiki
louiseds
September 16, 2008 - 6:54pm
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Everyone's different
Hi Kiki
Couldn't help commenting on your thoughts on nursing. In 1987, I had a newborn at the breast, a hyperactive toddler and a son starting school. I remember packing the pram and walking DS1 to school many mornings with DD in tow and DS2 in pram, DS1 proudly out front with his little rucksack. We would all go into the classroom first thing and a couple of Mums would help by listening to each of the children read out loud the reading book they had taken home the previous night. DD would be up the back rummaging around in the construction kits and puzzles, DS2 would inevitably be at the breast and chaos would prevail. This was the worst it got (well, sort of).
Nursing was for me the one soothing, relaxing thing in my day, (except for reading with kids) the one time I could guiltlessly find the comfy chair or lie on the big bed and indulge in my motherly pleasure until DS2 was either asleep or happy once again. *Anything* else could wait, and often did. My house was not the tidiest or cleanest, and still isn't. Many times I have thought that my children would have ended up in hospital with gastro as a result of my slack cleaning habits, had I not breastfed them until they were ready to move on. I could never work out why my babies were just about the only ones in our community who were never hospitalised for something during their first couple of years. I could never work out how those Mums who fed their babies artificially could get their heads around the bottle cleaning and formula preparation routines, for years and years.
Without those many sitdown breaks during the day, especially when I was nursing DD and pregnant with DS2, pregnancy would have been much more tiring. I would do it all the same way again, in a flash.
Cheers
Louise
Blue
September 16, 2008 - 11:11pm
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Such blessings
Your fourth, how grand, Alemama! -Children are so precious - Congratulations and best wishes! ((H♥GS))
It sounds like you're faring well, considering energy stores low and young kiddos on the go - Kudos for knowing what can wait and who can't.
~Blue
kiki
September 17, 2008 - 8:53am
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nursing
good point louise,
it's true, we are all different. I am a huge advocate of nursing, no question. nursed ds1 till he self weaned and hope i will with no. 2! so no question there...but i know that it does seem to drain at my body when they nurse a lot (though the relaxing lying down nursing is fab...but too rare for me!). i agree it keeps them healthy and is a blessing. how we'd have done measles with the little one w/o nursing i have no idea! wouldn't drink at all so thank goodness for nana!
but, maybe it's that for me, i don't get good long sitdowns...mine never nursed for more than a few moments. even as babies, 10 minutes was a really long feed for them...and with this little one, it's now 30 seconds and we are off again as chill time is not in his vocab!!!!
as you say, we and they are all sooooo different...
;-)
kiki
louiseds
September 17, 2008 - 11:56am
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nursing
As you said Kiki, having a family of little children and a household and a husband/partner to run is pretty full on. No wonder you are feeling a bit drained. Yes, I remember that deep tiredness too. I did always have to have one ear open for a disaster trying to happen, and you have to be eternally vigilant about kitchen safety, keeping the sharp things out of reach, reducing water risks, preventing kids killing each other, even if it is with kindness, etc, etc.
I wonder if prolactin is part of that tiredness? It is the hormone that makes us want to nurture, the mothering hormone, and no doubt being in one place, preferably feeling half-asleep, is a pre-requisite for ensuring that those babies that need long feeds actually get the time at the breast. Ever watched a bitch with a litter of pups? Mmmm, I have had babies of both sorts, the constant grazers and the thirty second pirhanas. Never managed to score one that slept 14 hours in 24 and fed 4 hourly though. I have been told that they exist. I don't think they get breastmilk for very long, cos it dries up. My pirhana newborn eventually learned to fall asleep at the breast by about eight months of age. I could not believe it. I was so relieved. It was a very special aspect of nursing, being able to put a baby to sleep at the breast, my secret weapon. People said I was lazy and my kids would grow up undisciplined. "Yes," I said, "I am very lazy, and why not?"
They didn't suck their thumbs. We didn't have to throw pacifiers off the end of the jetty at age 5. They didn't even have security blankets. They haven't grown up to be serial axe murderers or terrorists, or even serial jaywalkers. I think I did OK, and I am sure you will too. :-)
Just had another one of my thoughts. Are you eating OK? Are you getting enough sleep? We mothers will just run ourselves ragged, given half a chance. A good vitamin/mineral supplement might be the go for a while. Iron, perhaps? It is probably just where you're at that is causing your drained feeling, but it might be worth thinking about other causes too. No point in making it harder than it needs to be.
love from Louise
granolamom
September 17, 2008 - 1:09pm
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I hear ya, kiki
mine are like that too
a 10 min bf session is a long time. and sit? ha, that's funny. since ds is about 7 mo old he's into nursing gymnastics. you've seen that one, when the nursing child swings his legs up on your shoulder and dangles upside down while fondling the other side. and then whips his head around to see who's playing in the other room (hey kiddo, they don't stretch that far! at least they didn't before....)
and while I love nursing (nursed my 4 yo until he was 3), it drains me too. I eat very well, take my supplements and all, but I'm not a 'heave-ho' kinda woman. I've got a low blood pressure, low blood sugar levels, low energy levels on a good day. the nursing baby takes all the good stuff and leaves me with just enough to keep going. If I'm careful (which I am) I can avoid getting sick, but it does impact my energy reserves. probably if I was sleeping more I'd fare a bit better, but really I'm getting around 6-7 hrs most nights and that's pretty good.
Mae
September 17, 2008 - 11:02pm
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Congrats Alemama!!
I am so happy for you and me too! " A Daughter's Child", was Christine's post. That touched the heart and very soul of me! Best wishes for your #4 and my dear daughter's #1.
Warmest regards,
~Mae
rosewood
September 17, 2008 - 11:27pm
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CONGRATULATIONS!
Sending thoughts for upward energy up the spine, through the free neck with head moving forward and up! (That's Alexander Technique-speak). Have you tried doing any gentle ballet workout? Don't know, but I'm curious whether that would help on a daily basis since you can't do your other things you normally do. I suspect it may have some effect during pg, even some plies. I'd love to hear your feedback if you do it. I'm talking about the one from the latest edition of STWW. That's one thing I'd concentrate on if i were pg to keep everything lifted up. So happy for you.
Marie
alemama
September 18, 2008 - 7:39am
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yes
I have done them- but not in any disciplined way. When I am feeling pressure I will just do some plies right there- When I walk I make sure to do the big arm movements-
Holding the upper body posture is much more challenging these days and I have to constantly remind myself. It seems like I just want to slouch on the couch all day. So I gave up and I just lie down on the floor-
I have done the work out from the book but now the whole thing in one stretch- I just only have so much energy. Today I am going to teach my class and then I am going to make dinner for 3 families- calzones- I figure it is going to take me 4-5 hours on my feet- then my husband will get home and I will crash.
But during cooking I will be doing the plies and staying very focused on my neck and shoulders and chest posture.
Thanks for the thoughts- I am going to make an effort to do more of the work out- and see if it helps.
oscar2007
October 21, 2008 - 6:50am
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question for alemama
congratulations on your pregnancy, reading through the posts (i think it is you ?) who stabilised your prolapses sufficiently before getting pregnant? Any tips for a newbie? i am managing to maintain the posture, but it is all very new still. i have UP and i wonder if a slight cystoele? i would just like to be able to pull everything up a little before my next pregnancy. Your posts are encouraging. i'm still awaiting delivery of the book! UK bookstores don't seem to have it available as readily! but i would be interested to hear what has worked for you?
Thanks
pip